Merry Christmas! Santa, amazingly, figured out where we were and filled stockings (well, gift bags, actually, perhaps because it is too warm for stockings?). I promised everyone a very brief photo torment if they would cooperate and hold up their favorite stocking stuffer:

T.R. is holding up his very silly jokes. Here is a sample: What is brown and sticky? A stick! He and I have been laughing like crazy and Brent and Syd have been exercising their eyebrows at us. Brent chose his buckyballs, which are pewter-colored, unlike Syd’s (gold) and T.’s (silver). And there, in Syd’s pocket is Mr. Jeremy Fisher, an old friend from early childhood sprung from the page.

Brent also got a melting snowman and took these before and after photos:

Shortly we are going to sit down to Christmas dinner with Christmas crackers for all. We’re having buttermilk fried chicken, macaroni with three cheeses, and broccoli, followed by caramel macadamia tart. Perhaps not the most traditional of menus, but one well-suited to the capabilities of the current kitchen.

Blessings to all, if not for Christmas, than for anything you choose to celebrate!